Dispenser for dispensing a plurality of materials



March 1, 1960 J. J. SPERO 2,926,818

DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING A PLURALITY oF MATERIALS Filed July 14, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. John J. Spero Qwymmm/A/A@ ATTORNEYS March 1, 1960 1 1 SPERO 2,926,818

DISPENSER FOR DISPENSING A PLURALITY OF MATERIALS Filed July 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheety 2 FIG.7

Milli 8279 5781 1e s4 62 a? $3/ [69 59 5a 55 INVENTOR. 7 8B John J. Spero ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O DISBENSER ,FOR ,D ISPENSING A `PLURALITY f OF MATERIALS John J. Spero, 'Mount Vernon, N Y. Application July 14, 1958, Serial No. 748,505 Claims. (Cl. 222-135) 'My invention relates to the containing and dispensing ofluentmaterials and in particular provides a containerdispenser for separately containing and simultaneously `dispensing Vtwo or more materials.

Many materials which are to be simultaneously employedare 'frequently reactive Wtih each other, at 'least tothe extent that they deteriorate upon prolonged conjtact and consequently must beseparately contained. The

simultaneous employment of such materials, however, :inemanycases makes it desirable that-such materials be contained in a single' package from whichfthey can be dispensed t-simultaneously.

FI't is', accordingly, a `principal object of my invention *to provide a container `for separately `containing such Amaterials and from which they are simultaneously dis- "pensed by simple mechanical action.` It is a further.

he-containedjin'the central space within the inner barrel.

@Each-such *container space 'is fitted with a'separatepiston or3plul1gQl' which is rslidahle lengthwise of thespace in sealing contact-with'gthe-wallsthereof to"` expel the conrtents of `each container spacevthroungh one end of the Icoaxial, `d ouble barrel "arrangement which is cappedwith a -fpeiforiat'e :head providing separate channels ifor expulsion df the contentsof :the barrels or providing `a commonjdispensing orifice for such expulsion. The inner barrel isfmounted in a manner `permitting its rotation 'within `the outerbarrelz and centrally lthe arrangement is vprovidedwithga shaft'which'is arranged to rotate with the outer-barrel. lhus `the piston in the annular-space Yby being keyed to rotate with one` wall defining the space `and threaded to engage the other wall defining/the space is caused-to mov`e lengthwise within the annular space by relative rotation of thet-wo barrels. Similarly-the inner piston moveslengthwsethrough' the central space by relative rotation of the central `shaft andinner barrel. `rByLeinployirigthe sarnenumberl of threads-per 4inch on l.thet'thi'eaded*surface engaging the -pistons `the pistons can Vbenloyed at the same speeds simultaneously, thus each 4completes a full.v stroke lengthwise of the two barrels .with the-same nurriherof turns of-rotation between the barrels. `Basicallythe apparatus is completed by pro- Ariding an `external operator `extending through an 'end Y.o'ffthetouter barrel which isaixe'd to thefinner barrel.

tThus'the' apparatus is operatedto dispense `the mate- `rals .separately contained in ithe annular and Vcentral lgspacestby :manually rotating the` operator -relative 1 to the outerzbarrel. A:It will be apparent; that the operator can 2,926,818 atented Mar. l, 196i) with the dispensing head at the `other v.end or the dispensing Vhead can Albe the operator. In either case the operator can be provided with a series of radial arms and the outer barrelV can carry a stop-bar overlying the path of travel of such arms thus enabling dispensing measured quantities :by simply dialing one or more arms around to the stop-bar as disclosed and claimed in copending application S.N`. 748,442, iiledluly 14, 1958, in the name of Leonard 4 L. Marraino.

For a morecomplete understanding of the practical application of the principles of my invention reference is made to the appended drawings in which:

Figure l is an exploded elevation of a containerdispenser constructed in accordancewith the principles of my invention;

'Figure 2is a vertical sectionlof the container-dispenser `of Figure 1A shownsin assembled form;

`Figure `3 is a cross-section taken atline 3 3 in Figure 2;

Figure `4 ure '2;

.'Figure 5 is `a plan View of the container-dispenser shown in Figures l-4; t

`Figure `6 `is a vertical section of another containerdispenser constructed 'in accordance with the principles of my invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view ofthe container-dispenser shown in tFigurel; and

.Figure 8 isaiperspectivetview of the container-dispenser shown inFigures 6` and 7.

Referring more particularly to Figures: 1-5, the referis 4a cross-'section taken at line 4 -4 in Figence numeral 'H10 'designates a container-dispenserconst ructed in accordance with my invention. Containerd1spenserf10 includes `basically an outer barrel 11, an

innertbarrellla centralshaft 13, an annular, disk shaped operator 14 ilocated at one end of the assembled construction, an `annular piston `15 located between barrels At1 ,and 12, a smaller annular piston116l located within `barrel 112 and about shaft 13, and a dispensing head 17.

Guter barrel 11 is a cylindrical length of'clear, rigid i plastic materialand is partially closedv at one end by an integral annular flange :18. At -its other end barrel 11 ,isfcompletely opent` and is externally=provided with threads `1-9 Innerlbarrel 12"is also a cylindrical length of clear, rigid plastic material `having a smaller diameter than that of barrel 11 and which is provided with a left hand thread 20 extending alongsubstantially its entire cylindrical exterior surface. At one `end inner barrel 12 is completely closed by an integral bottom 21, which on itsiexteriorside carries a coaxial hub 22 and which on its interior` side `is. provided with a coaxial well 23.

'Barjrels `11,.'1nd'1f2-are assembled together Vwith barrel -12 coaxially Apositioned Within barrelv 11,` with bottom '-21 .abuttingrtheinner side of-ilangetlS on barrel 11 and with hub 22iprojecting through the central opening in annular "flange 118. It Will be further noted that along ,its'interiorside barrel `11` carries a boss 24 which extends nlengthwise fofibarrelllparallel to the axis of barrel 11 thus deninga key. Similarly barrel 12 is provided with --lengthwise -boss12`5 also defining aV key.

1Shaft`113,-which is constructed `of clear, rigid plastic material; isthreaded, as indicated `by the reference nurnerali2e,.substantially throughout its entirelength with a rightfhan'd thread. At one endfshaft 13 is provided withVA a `smooth conical point `27 yand `at thelother end with al short `leng'thhaving a square cross-section as denoted -by-the reference numeral `28. IShaft 1:3is` posi-4 Ltioned Lalong the common {axisvofvbarrels 11-and12.with

i its t smooth conical vpoint f 27 lrotatably `received in well zttjnrbottonrfzl of innerfbarrelilZ.

be located at one end of the double barrel arrangement g LThe adjac;enteral: 1f-haushalt and imreclosd Vits interior `(underside) about its periphery is provided with threads29 which rotatably engage threads 19 on barrel 11 to a tight t holding dispensing head 17 xed on barrel 11.

Centrally, on its interior (under) side, dispensing head H open upper end of inner barrel 12l in sliding but sealing 'Contact vAt arcuate intervals about dispensing head 17 between its threaded inner rim 29 and annular boss 32 'dispensing head 17 is provided with a series of apertures 33 providing expelling passages leading to the exterior of the assembly from the annular space between barrels 11 and 12. The dispensing head 17 is also prolvided with a series of apertures 34 located between annular boss 32 and sleeve 30 which provide expelling rpassages leading from the central space within inner barrel 12.

Annular piston 15, which is constructed of opaque,

rigid plastic material, on its underside 35 is shaped to t across the bottom of barrel 11 between barrel 11 and -barrel 12 against flange 18 and on its upper surface 36 is shaped to t within the annular cavity 37, on the underside of dispensing head 17 which lies between threaded rim 29 of dispensing head 17 and annular boss 31 and into which expelling passages 33 lead. The central opening in piston 15 is supplied with internal threads 38 which rotatably engage the left hand threads on the outer surface of inner barrel 12. Piston 15 is also provided with a lengthwise (vertical) slot 39 on its outer edge which mates with key 24. Thus rotation of inner barrel 12 within outer barrel 11 in a counter-clockwise direction (as Viewed from dispensing head 17) will cause piston 15 .to rise upwardly through the annular space between barrels 11 and 12.

The smaller piston 16, which like piston 15 is constructed of opaque, rigid plastic material, is similarly provided with an underside for tting flat against the bottom of inner cylinder 12 with its upper side contoured to fit within the cavity on the underside of dispensing head 17 surrounding sleeve 30 and within annular boss 31. Piston 16, which like piston 15 is also centrally apertured,

-is provided with internal threads 40 in such central aperture which threadedly are received on threads'26 of shaft 13. Piston 16 is also provided with a short lengthwise Y (vertical) slo-t 41 which is received on key 25. Thus rotation of inner barrel 12 within outer barrel 11 to which shaft 13 is axed by a square connection 28, 30 also 1 causes piston 16 to rise within the central space in barrel 12 when barrel 12 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as vseen from its upper end.

The device is completed by aixing disk-like operator 14 on the underside of ange 1S with its central aperture ,receiving the lower end of hub 22 on barrel 12. Suitably, operator 14 is keyed and cemented to hub 22.

Operation of the deviceshown in Figures 1-5 is apparent from the previous description. Dispensing head annular space between barrels 11 and 12. Dispensing head 17 is then re-threaded into position, and simultaneous dispensing -of both charged materials is accomplished by rotating operator 14 in a clockwise'direction,

. of inner barrel 52. On one side receiving ring 56 carries an integral angled extension rod 73 which rises vertically as seen from the bottom of container-dispenser 10, thereupon simultaneously forcingpistons 15 and 16 toward the dispensing end (see dashed lline position in Figure 2) and forcing the fluent contents of the device simultaneously through expelling passages 33 and 34.

Referring more particularly to Figures 6-8, the reference numeral 50 designates another container-dispenser constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention for' simultaneously dispensing two separately'contained fluent pastes or creams. In the arrangement of Figures 6 9 the construction is almost identical to that of Figures 1-5 except that the dispensing head also functions -as the control member and is modified to permit dispensing of the contained materials in predetermined quantities in accordance with the above-mentioned Marramno applica-tion.

Container-dispenser 50 includes an outer barrel 51, an inner barrel 52, 'a central shaft 53, an annular piston `54, a smallerannular piston 55, a receiving ring 56 band a dispensing head 57. Y, Y

Barrel 51 is a cylindrical container constructed of clear, rigid plastic material having an open top and a closed bottom 58. Internally bottom 58 of barrel 51 is provided with a shallow well 59 circular in cross-section and having a diameter approximately half that of barrel 51.

Well 59 is centrally located on the inner bottom 58 and ljust less than the diameter of well 59 in barrel 51, such that barrel 52 rests with its bottom 62 received in well L59 in a close sliding fit and thus is positioned coaxially within barrel 51. At its center bottom 62 of barrel 52 is provided with an axial bore 63 which registers with well 60 in bottom 58 of barrel 51. The external cylindrical surface of barrel 52 throughout substantially the entire length of barrel 52 is provided with a right hand thread indicated by the reference numeral 64. Interiorly barrel 52 is provided with a boss 65 which extends longitudinally the entire length of barrel52 and `functions as a key. The open upper end of barrel 52 terminates with a series of radial splines 66.

Shaft 53, which is constructed of clear, rigid plastic material, is provided with a left hand thread 67 substantially throughout its length. At one end it is provided with a smooth conical point 68, and at its other end it is provided with a short, smooth cylindrical porton`69 terminating in a square cross-section portion 70. Shaft 53 is positioned on the common axis of barrels 51 and 52 with its square cross-sectioned end 70 resting in square cross-sectioned well 60 in bottom 58 of barrel 51, with its cylindrical portion 69 adjacent to end portion 70 extending through bore 63 in the bottom 62 of barrel 52 and with its smooth conical point 68 at the upper end of the assembly.

Receiving ring 56 for dispensing head 57 is a generally annular piece of rigid, plastic material which is interiorly threaded at its lower end as indicated by the reference numeral 71 for threaded engagement with threads 61 on the upper end of barrel 51. The upper side of receiving ring 56 provides a at annular surface 72 which extends inwardly partly over the annular space dened between the inner wall of barrel 51 and the outer threaded wall above the plane of surface 72. Rod 73 extends inwardly spaced above surface 72 and curved to function las 4a ngenstop bar.V t f l Dispensing head 57 is a block of rigid :plastic material of generally cylindrical appearance. .About its periphery dispensing head 57 is provided with a groove 74 which is received by the inner edge `of annular receiving ring 56 in a smooth, sliding, rotatable `fit sufficiently tightto provide `continuous .sealing contact between receiving ring 56 and dispensing head 57. Thus receiving ring 56 rotatably retains dispensing .head 57 over the open tops of barrels 51 and 52 thereby closing the interior of the assembly. ,i 1`

`On its underside dispensing headr57 .is provided with an annular `boss 75 which is centered about the common axis of barrels 51 and 52 and shaft 53 and which is positioned aligned with the upper end -iof barrel 52. 'The under edge of boss 75 is providedtwith a series of `radial splines 76 which `mate tightly with splines ,66 on the upper edge of inner barrel 52 thus separating :the .annular space between barrels 51 and 52 from the central space within barrel 52, and also retaining head 57 and inner barrel 52 together as a common rotatable unit.

Centrally on its under side dispensing head 5 7 is sprovided with a dependingsleeve77 `which rotatably receives the upper end 68 of shaft 53. Between its outer edge and annular boss 75 the lunder side of dispensing head 57 is provided with an annular groove 78. Similarly between annular boss 75 and sleeve 77 the under side of dispensing head 57 is provided with an annular groove 79.

On its upper side, where it projects above the level of surface 72 of receiving ring 56, dispensing head 57 is i centrall provided with a short, integral, vertical tube 80 which forms the dispensing orifice for container-dispenser 50. A series of inclined bores 81 extend through dispensing head 57 connecting groove 78 and the interior of orifice 80, thus providing expelling passages leading from the annular space between barrels 51 and 52 to dispensing orifice 80. Similarly a series of inclined bores V82 are provided in dispensing head 57 which lead from groove 79 on the under side of dispensing head 57 to orifice 80 thereby providing expelling passages for the central space within barrel 52. Orifice 80 can be pro vided with cap 83 which snap fits over orifice 80.

Dispensing head 57 is also provided with a series of arms 84 which are spaced at arcuate intervals about the periphery of dispensing head 57 and which extend outwardly from dispensing head 57 over upper surface 72 of receiving ring 56. Arms 84 are relatively thin vertically and are positioned such that they ride beneath the inner, stop bar, extension of angled rod 73. Arms 84 are relatively thick in a horizontal direction and along their left hand edges, as viewed from the center of rotation from dispensing head 57, are cut in a concave curve for re ceiving a finger tip which can thus be applied to rotate dispensing head 57 and consequently inner barrel 52 in a clockwise direction. i

Annular piston 54 is positioned coaxially between barrels 51 and 52 and on itsunder side is shaped to fit fiat against bottom 58 of barrel 51 entirelyV across the indicated by the reference numeral 87 rotatably to engage threads 67 on shaft `53. The outer edgeiof `piston 55 is" provided wit ha vertical slotA 88 which'islidingly receives boss -65 on :the inner-wall `of bar-rel52.rSi-nce shaft 53 cannot rotate relative `to outer barrel ,.51 by reason of the square cross-section 70 at its `lower end received in square cross-sectioned well 60, .clockwise Io tation of dispensing head 57 thus rotates inner barrel 52 relative to shaft 53 and .causes piston 55 to rise the central space withi-n barrel 52.

In operation receiving ring 56 is threadedly disengaged from outer barrel 51 to remove dispensing head 57. With pistons 54 `and'55 at their lowermost positions, the -annular -space `betweenbarrel 51 and barrel v52 is charged with one material to befdispensed, and the central space with- `in barrel 52-is charged with a second materialto ibedispensed. Dispensing` head l57 is then -repositioned over the `assembly and receiving ring 56 threadedly engaged, securely on the upper end of -barrel 51 bringing splines 76 tightly Vinto engagement with `splines 66. Thereafter when it is desired to `ldispense the `contents of icontainerdispenser with cap 8 3 removed, user places his finger against any arm 84 of dispensing head 57.(se`e Figure i8) and rotates dispensing head 57 clockwise. Pistons 54 and are thereby raised simultaneously (see dashed line in Figure 6) forcing the contents of container-dispenser 50 upwardly and out through expelling passages 81 and 82 through orifice 80 where the separately contained charges are simultaneously dispensed (see Figure 8).

It will be observed that in so rotating dispensing head 57, the operators finger pushing an arm 84 is prevented from doing so when it reaches the position of rod 73a. Rod 73 thus acts as a stop and by initiating the dispensing action with the operators finger positioned a preselected number of arms 84 counter-clockwise from rod 73, preselected multiples `of a fixed increment of a dispensed material can be obtained, thus permitting the operator to pre-select a desired quantity of material to be dispensed.

1t will be evident that the container-dispenser of my invention is susceptible to a number of obvious variadistance between barrels 51 and 52. The upper suface v of piston 50 is shaped to fit snugly into groove 78 in dispensing head 57, and the center aperture `of piston 54 is internally threaded as indicated by the reference numeral 35 to engage threads 64 on barrel 52. On its outer edge piston 54 is provided with a vertical slot 86 which snugly receives boss 49. Thus clockwise rotation of dispensing head 57, which by reason of the mating splines 66 and 76 rotates inner barrel 52 relative to outer barrel 51,

causes piston 54 to rise in the annular space betweentions. Clearly the same arrangement can `be employed to separately contain and simultaneously dispense more than two materials. Thus, for example,` in the arrangement of Figures 68, central shaft 53 could be chosen with .a larger diameter and hollowed. An additional shaft could then be placed within this hollowed central shaft and fixed to rotate with dispensing head 57, thus permitting operation of a third piston within the hollowed shaft53 to expel a material contained within such shaft. It is also` evident that the arrangements of threads and keys employed'to drive each piston can be reversed. Thus, referring to Figures ,15, the interior of outer barrel 11 could be threaded and the key vplaced upon the exterior of inner `barrel 12. It is evident moreover that the key chosen need not be simply a boss extending The surface of the barrel can of the inner 4barrel define walls enclosing an annular space, a shaft coaxially disposed within the inner barrel whereby the outer surface of said shaft and the inner surface of the inner barrel define walls enclosing a central space within said inner barrel, means on said outer barrel supporting said shaft -in fixed angular position relative to the axis of said outer barrel, a first annular piston positioned in said annular space cooperating between the walls thereof, rst keying means keying one said wall of said annular space with said annnlar piston to prevent relative'rotation therebetween, meansV threadedly engaging said annular piston with'the other said wall of said space with said second annular piston to prevent relative rotation therebetween, means threadedly engaging -said second annular piston Iand the-other wall of said central space, an operator member rotatably mounted exteriorly of said outer barrel extending through an end thereofrin iixed engagement with said inner barrel whereby rotation of said operator member relative to said outer barrel causes relative rotation between said inner barrel and said outer barrel and between said inner barrel and saidshaft to` drive said first and second annular pistons in the same direction through'saidannular and central spaces respectively, a dispensing head mounted adjacent to an end of said outer barrel separately closing said outer and inner barrels to dene separate fluent material vchargeable spaces within said annular and central spaces between said end and said first and second pistons respectively, means in said dispensing head defining an expeiling passage leading `from saidpannular space, and

means in said'dispensing head defining an expelling passage leading from said central space.

2. A container-dispenser according to claim 1 in which said dispensing head and operator member are a unit.

' 3. A container-dispenser according to claim 1 in which said dispensing head is located on one end of said barrels and is affixed to said outer barrel and in which said operator memberis located at the other end of said barrels.

4. A container-dispenser according to claim 1 in which rst keying means is a boss extending lengthwise of a wall of said annular space and a slot on said rst piston receiving said boss.

5. A container-dispenser according to claim 1l in which said second keying meansr is a boss extending lengthwise of a wall of said central'space and a slot on said second pis-ton receiving said boss.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,826,339A Maillard Mar. 11, 1958 aw sur 

